by Ben Mulch, Director of Product & Brand at Atticus Technology
Why Major Donors Could Be Your Non-Profit’s Lifeline
If you’re running a non-profit right now, you know the uncertainty. With DOGE imposing government cuts, nonprofit grants—once a reliable backbone for many organizations—are becoming less predictable. It’s a tough reality, but it’s not the end of your mission. In fact, it could be the push your organization needs to diversify and thrive. The key? Turning your focus to major donors.
The Problem with Government Grants
Government funding has always been a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s a steady stream that can keep programs running. On the other, it comes with strings — reporting requirements, restrictive guidelines, and recently an increasing uncertainty of renewal.
Here’s the good news: you’re not powerless. While you can’t control government budgets, you can control how you adapt. That’s where major donors come in.
Why Major Donors?
Major donors—those individuals capable of making significant, transformative gifts—offer something government grants can’t: flexibility and partnership. A major donor’s contribution can often be directed where you need it most, whether that’s operational costs, new initiatives, or emergency reserves. Plus, these donors tend to care deeply about your cause, meaning they’re not just writing a check—they’re investing in your vision.
A single major donor committed to your cause could replace months, even years, of government funding with one gift. And unlike grants, which require endless applications and reviews, a strong donor relationship doesn’t rely on paperwork, it relies on partnership.
Mastering Major Gifts
Here’s our roadmap to get you going:
1. Look Within Your Existing Network
You’d be surprised how many potential major donors are already in your orbit. Review your donor list, board members, volunteers, and even program beneficiaries. Who has the capacity to give more? Who’s shown a deep commitment to your cause? Atticus refers to these potential major donors as “Hidden Gems” and we can help you find and cultivate these acquaintances into mission-sustaining partners.
2. Find Aligned Strangers
There is an abundance of givers out there and your mission is important. In fact, it’s essential. There are major donors you don’t know yet who want to advance your mission into the future. Atticus can help you find donors with extremely specific alignment who already share your mission; they just haven’t heard about you yet.
3. See The Opportunity
Ditch the generic pitch and tell a story that ties a major donor’s potential contribution to specific work threatened by government cuts. Major donors are eager to fill needs, and these cuts will create needs. Change your perspective to see the opportunity, not the threat.
4. Build Relationships, Not Transactions
Major donor cultivation isn’t about a quick ask—it’s about trust. Invite them to see your work in action, share your strategic plans, and listen to their ideas. These are people who have missions and passions of their own.
5. Leverage Your Network
Your board members and existing major donors know people. Atticus has tools to find paths from your network to new major donors. These warm leads make for less friction and can move faster than true cold outreach.
A Prediction
The Trump administration is advocating government cuts and Congress, while generally unpredictable, is a Republican majority. Will there be tax cuts? It seems likely. Savvy fundraisers skate to where the puck is going.
Considering the top 5% of income earners pay about 60% of income taxes[1], we can expect that high-earners will benefit from whatever tax cuts occur. Many will be excited to give those extra funds to causes that advance their mission. Start positioning your non-profit now to align with those donors on how they’re going to invest those tax cuts.
Give Atticus a call. We know how to take advantage of these opportunities to fund your great endeavor.
[1] https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/federal/latest-federal-income-tax-data-2025/
